Chapter 153: Breaking Down

Just as Shangguan Liqian was trying to think of a way to comfort her, a low, raspy voice drifted down from above her head.

“Sister, did you become like this because of me?”

Liqian’s heart gave a sudden lurch, yet her face remained as calm as a placid lake. She feigned a slight pout. “What kind of nonsense are you thinking now?”

Luo Wushuang did not miss the instinctive stiffening of her sister’s body. In her heart, she became even more certain of her suspicion.

From the look in Liqian’s eyes when she first woke, to the absolute certainty with which she claimed her legs would be fine, and finally to her unnatural calmness upon learning she had no sensation in them…

These clues were like invisible threads, connecting every inconsistency into a single, looming truth—a truth Wushuang was desperate not to believe.

Was it really because of her?

Even Master Yujing was someone Liqian had originally suggested she summon.

Liqian hadn’t expected Luo Wushuang to be so perceptive, nor did she expect her to pinpoint the truth so accurately.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t entirely “for Wushuang.” After all, Wushuang had only damaged her soul and suffered frequent weakness in her legs because she had been trying to save Liqian from the Malicious Spirits and Vengeful Spirits within the River of Forgetfulness.

Compared to what Wushuang had endured, what did her own suffering matter?

She was merely setting things right.

Compared to having one’s soul scattered to the winds, losing feeling in her legs was a small price to pay. Liqian was satisfied with the outcome, but Luo Wushuang’s eyes began to brim with red.

Previously, the Empress hadn’t thought too deeply on it. But after witnessing Master Yujing’s miraculous abilities, the thought had taken root and refused to leave.

Locking her gaze onto the woman in her arms, Wushuang’s voice trembled with an obvious quiver as she asked again, “Sister, is the reason you can’t stand because of me?”

She wondered if Liqian had experienced something or made some kind of deal behind her back. Otherwise, why would she be so sure she would eventually be fine? Why would she care so little for her own legs?

The more she thought, the closer Wushuang felt she was to the truth.

Meeting that stubborn, fixated gaze, Shangguan Liqian shook her head and sighed helplessly. “Wushuang, you were the one who suffered leg weakness to save me.”

Wushuang didn’t care about the cause of her own weakness; she only heard that her sister hadn’t denied the accusation.

So, it really was for her.

The confirmation hit her like a physical blow. Her heart became a tangled mess of conflicting emotions. She even began to wonder if she had been wrong from the very start.

If she hadn’t stubbornly imprisoned her sister by her side, would none of this have happened?

“I… I…” Wushuang’s lips parted, but they trembled for a long time without being able to form the words to let her sister leave.

If she couldn’t be with her, she would rather die. Even in death, she would likely still crave her!

Liqian knew all too well how stubborn this woman was. She patted Wushuang’s hand and comforted her in a soft voice, “Don’t let your mind wander. It was you who saved your sister.”

Whenever it concerned Shangguan Liqian, Luo Wushuang’s mind worked with terrifying speed. From those few fragments of speech, she pieced together the sequence of events.

So, I saved her first, resulting in the leg weakness. Then, to help me, Sister did something that caused her current condition.

The realization made Wushuang’s eyes turn a deep, painful red. Tears began to swirl.

How could her sister be so foolish?

She would rather be the one who couldn’t stand than have her sister suffer such pain. Saving Liqian was her duty; it was something she owed her!

But her sister… her sister was already pitiful enough being kept as a bird in a cage. How could Wushuang bear to see her endure such agony?

“Sister, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry…” Wushuang buried her face in Liqian’s embrace, her voice breaking into a sob as she apologized repeatedly.

It was all her fault. Because of her, her sister had become like this. Yet, she was still too selfish to let her go.

Seeing Wushuang in such distress made Liqian’s own heart ache.

“It’s not your fault. Don’t be sad.”

Liqian suppressed the urge to cry, gently patting Wushuang’s back. “Besides, didn’t Master Yujing say there’s hope for my legs?”

Wushuang sat up, pulling Liqian tightly into her arms, and nodded heavily. “Yes. You will stand again, Sister! You definitely will!”

It was unclear if she was comforting Liqian or herself.

After a long while, Wushuang managed to steady her emotions. She held the woman in her arms and whispered, “I will settle the court’s affairs as quickly as possible. Once your body is a bit stronger, we will go to Spirit Spring Valley together. You’ll be fine, Sister.”

Liqian fell silent at the mention of Wushuang accompanying her.

Naturally, she wanted to be with Wushuang. Especially since losing sensation in her legs, she found herself more dependent on her than she ever imagined.

But Wushuang wasn’t just her Wushuang. She was the sovereign of a nation, supported by the people. How could she abandon the world for one person?

“Sister?” Receiving no response, Wushuang instinctively looked down to check Liqian’s expression.

Liqian lowered her gaze and sighed. “You are the ruler of a kingdom. How can you leave the Imperial Capital so easily?”

Wushuang shook her head. Her eyes, usually soft and yielding in Liqian’s presence, were filled with a rare, unshakable resolve. “I must be with you. I will arrange the court’s affairs properly.”

Seeing Liqian remain silent with a slight frown, Wushuang’s voice grew deeper, carrying a trace of bitterness. “Sister, I refuse to stay in the Imperial Capital. I refuse to learn about your condition only through the ink on a letter.”

“Wushuang…” Liqian opened her mouth, but the words failed her.

She didn’t want to be apart either. But the Far North was so distant, and the exact location of Spirit Spring Valley was unknown. There was no telling how long the journey would take. If Wushuang was with her, what would happen to the empire?

Wushuang didn’t care about any of that. To her, the world was merely a tool to obtain her sister. If she couldn’t be with Liqian, then the world was useless to her.

Wushuang took a shaky breath and buried her face in the crook of Liqian’s neck. “If you are well, Sister, then I will strive to be a wise ruler, a sovereign of a golden age.”

She paused, her voice suddenly turning sharp and cold. “But if anything happens to you, I will overturn this—”

Before she could finish the threat, Liqian turned and pressed her lips against Wushuang’s.

It was a feather-light kiss, devoid of lust, carrying only heartache and comfort.

When the kiss ended, Liqian poked Wushuang’s soft, reddened lips and spoke tenderly, “Don’t say such foolish things. We will both be fine.”

The gentle voice was like a breeze over the skin, allowing Wushuang’s mood to relax slightly.

“Sister…”

Seeing Wushuang return to her usual, soft-hearted self, Liqian chuckled. “Alright, look at you. Your face is a mess from crying. Go and wash up.”

“Mhm,” Wushuang replied, obediently standing up.

After a haphazard wipe of her face, she brought over a basin of clean water. “I will help you wash, Sister.”

Liqian didn’t refuse. She tilted her face up slightly, feeling the gentle touch of the damp cloth against her skin.

Washing, grooming, dressing… the Empress attended to her with meticulous care.

It wasn’t until after dinner, once she had coaxed her sister to sleep, that Luo Wushuang finally reached her breaking point. She ran out of Phoenix Hall and grabbed a large tree, wailing and sobbing at the top of her lungs.

As she cried, she kicked the trunk of the tree she was hugging, as if the tree itself was responsible for her sister’s plight.

The Secret Guards hidden in the branches were nearly shaken loose by the force of her kicks. Yet, seeing their Emperor in such a state of grief, they didn’t dare show themselves. They could only cling to the branches for dear life, praying they wouldn’t be flung off.